Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium cultivar Yoregina.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium, commercially known as a garden-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Yoreginaxe2x80x99.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create a new garden-type Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescences with desirable inflorescence forms, attractive floret colors and good garden performance.
The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross made in November, 1996, in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary Chrysanthemum selection identified as code number 94-L097001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Chrysanthemum selection identified as code number 94-L117007, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross grown in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. in November, 2000. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence form, attractive ray floret color and good garden performance.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since January, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Yoregina has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Yoreginaxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Yoreginaxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright, mounded and rounded plant habit.
2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plants.
3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.
4. Daisy-type inflorescences.
5. Red-colored ray florets and bright yellow-colored disc florets.
6. Natural season flowering in mid-October in the Northern Hemisphere.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the female parent, the selection 94-L097001, in the following characteristics:
1. Plant habit of plants of the new Chrysanthemum was more uniform than plant habit of plants of the selection 94-L097001.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than plants of the selection 94-L097001.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about one week later than plants of the selection 94-L097001 when grown under natural season conditions.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla. plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the male parent, the selection 94-L117007, primarily in plant habit as plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more uniform than plants of the selection 94-L117007.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Red Alcala, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Red Alcala in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had slightly smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Red Alcala.
2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger discs than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Red Alcala. 
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about five days earlier than plants of the cultivar Red Alcala when grown under natural season conditions.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Red Crown Jewel, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,032. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Red Crown Jewel in the following characteristics:
1. Plant habit of plants of the new Chrysanthemum was more uniform than plant habit of plants of the cultivar Red Crown Jewel.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Red Crown Jewel.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than plants of the cultivar Red Crown Jewel.